Erickson has received FAA certification approval for its new composite main rotor blades for the S-64E Air Crane. Approvals for the blades on the S-64F, CH-54A, and CH-54B are expected in the coming months. The new blades also are an integral component of the recently announced S-64F+, which also will feature new avionics and engines.
The new blades are expected to increase hover and hot-and-high performance while reducing fuel consumption and maintenance costs. They bolt onto existing attachments on the S-64F/CH-54B, while requiring minor rotor head modification for the S-64E/CH-54A.
Erickson began investigating a composite blade replacement for the Air Crane’s all-metal blades, which it also manufactures, in 2008 and began collaborating with CH-54 operator Helicopter Transport Services (HTS) on the program in 2010. The design was finalized in 2013. In 2015, Erickson built its own 12,000-sq-ft composite blade manufacturing facility in Medford, Oregon. The blades made their first flight in 2016 and have been vetted “after thousands of hours of design, testing, and analysis,” according to Erickson.